Step-by-step through the internship

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Internship

1. 1.Find an Internship

   How do I find an internship?

   • You’ll get an overview of possible career fields: What career fields are out there? What specifically interests me in the field of sustainability?
   • You’ll figure out which internship is right for you: Which internship or career field is a good fit for me? To help with this, you can use the “Work” section in our “Guess What” handbook (starting on p. 137).
   • You’ll start looking for a suitable position: Where can I look for jobs? We’ve put together a list of resources for you, as has the Career Service.
   • Who can I contact if I have questions about finding an internship or need support? If you already know which subject area you’d like to work in, contact the respective internship coordinators in the respective departments (e.g., an internship in the field of economics will lead you to the advising office in the Department of Economics).
     What if I want to pursue a field for which there is no internship coordination office? In that case, contact the Career Service at the University of Kassel.

   After Step 1, you’ve looked for an internship: Don’t choose an internship just because it seems convenient, but because you ’re genuinely interested in the professional field in which you want to do your internship.

2. 2.Before Starting the Internship

   What do I need to keep in mind before starting my internship?

   • Make sure that your internship meets the formal requirements set by the University of Kassel so that it can be recognized as a required internship as part of your degree program. Here’s how it works: Find a faculty member in your degree program who will supervise your internship and discuss the suitability of your placement with you. The faculty member’s areas of expertise should align with the content of your internship. This could be a faculty member from the core, cluster, or project modules, or from the sustainability study tracks.
   • You apply for an internship. For example, the Career Service can help you with this.
   • You’ll draw up an internship agreement with your host organization, if desired.
   • You should familiarize yourself with the legal framework governing your internship, for example in the brochure from the German Trade Union Federation.
   • You’ll clarify the funding for the internship, if applicable, with regard to BAföG, taxes, etc.
   • You’ll make important arrangements with your internship host. For example, working hours, tasks, responsibilities, your role within a team or project, etc.
   • You discuss your internship plan with the instructorat the university who is supervising your internship.

   Important: You must discuss your internship plan with your supervising teacher before the internship begins, as this teacher’s approval confirms that your internship is in the field of sustainability and can therefore be recognized.

3. 3.Register for an internship

   How do I register for my internship?

   • Download the form "Internship Position Registration."
   • Fill it out legibly.
   • Have your supervising teacher sign it.
   • Submit the completed and signed form to the Practicum Coordination Office of the Department of Social Sciences .

   After Step 3 , youwill have found an internship that suits you, identified a supervising instructor, signed an internship agreement if necessary, and registered the internship with the university.

4. 4.During the internship

   What should I keep in mind during my internship?

   • You know your rights and responsibilities.
   • You stand up for yourself as an intern! You’re not just there to run errands.
   • You actively contribute .
   • You ask questions when something isn’t entirely clear to you.
   • You stay in touch with your internship supervisor .
   • You ’re building a network to help you launch your career.
   • You reflect on whether what you’re doing right now is actually what you’d like to do after you graduate.
   • If you realize during your internship that this isn’t the right fit, consider whether you’d like to end the internship. Don’t be afraid to look for an alternative.

5. 5.After the internship

   What do I need to do after my internship?

   • You’ll have an internship certificate issued and the form “Certificate" form signed.
   • You reflect on your individual career prospects: Do I want to do what I did during the internship? What additional qualifications do I need to enter the workforce? Where are there job openings in the field where I want to work? What requirements are placed on applicants in my professional field?
   • You’ll take the follow-up course associated with your practical module.
   • You write your internship report and complete the coursework requirements in the form of a presentation in your accompanying seminar. You can find guidelines for writing the report in the Guide to the Internship Report .
   • You submit your work to your supervising instructor along with the “ Certificate" or a copy of your transcript. After reviewing it, they will provide feedback to the Registrar’s Office , which will record your grade.
   • Keep an eye out for positions that might be a good fit for you after you graduate.
   • You can support us and your fellow students by filling out the “ Brief Information" form.

   You have now successfully completed your internship, thereby taking an important step toward starting your career . Remember that your internship is your first step into the professional world .